


The Life We Share

by GweeChan



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-18 01:20:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3550775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GweeChan/pseuds/GweeChan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Platinum University opens up its doors on Midorijima, it allows everyone on the island a place to gain a higher education without having to travel to the mainland. Will Aoba Seragaki be able to adjust to this new college lifestyle as new friends and long lost relatives make their way into his life? Or is the college itself just a distraction from something much more sinister? </p><p>[This fic is also posted under my Wattpad account under Gweechan, so if you prefer that site it will be updated there first as a sort of rough draft. Will contain nsfw content in later chapters.]</p><p>[Here's a treat video for you guys that I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqn0dwqazSY&feature=youtu.be ]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Glitter

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on AO3 along with my first ever DMMd fic ever! I just finished up both the first and re:connect, so hopefully you guys enjoy!

Aoba Seragaki had woken up earlier than usual. Monday mornings weren't his favorite, but he had managed to wake up to his alarm. He sat up and yawned, stretching out his limbs and hearing pleasing cracking noises along his back. He brushed through his hair lightly, scrunching his nose at the slight tingling feeling that came along with it. Aoba rolled himself out of bed and searched around his cluttered room for a pair of jeans. He walked around in his dark blue shirt and bright blue boxer-briefs as he scuffled through the room. When he found a pair he was pleased with, he jumped around clumsily to slip them on, latching a belt around his waist to secure them to his slim hips. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail before heading downstairs. The sweet smell of fresh fried doughnuts reached his nose as he pushed the door to the kitchen open.

“Ba-Chan, good morning.” Aoba smiled, moving to stand beside Tae.

“Good morning Aoba.”

Tae had turned to her grandson, handing him a small basket of fresh fried doughnuts. He placed them onto the table before grabbing a few plates.

“Ba-Chan, I have my bags packed already. Are you sure you want me to go? I can stay here to take care of you.”

“I'm not so old and frail that I need you to watch over me.” Tae huffed, sitting at the table.

“This is something you should do for yourself Aoba. You don't have to worry about me so much.”

“Ba-Chan...”

Aoba didn't like to leave his grandmother alone in the house. It was only the two of them after all. Going to university meant having to take residence in a dorm. The college was too far to walk to in a reasonable time.

“Ao-ba, stop that worrying of yours. I can take care of myself. This is an important part of your life.”

He smiles at his grandmother. Although he was uneasy about leaving her, he knew how much this meant to the both of them for him to recieve a higher education. Aoba put on a relaxed face and takes a bite of a doughnut. He would definitely miss his grandmothers cooking. As the two finished up the doughnuts, there was a light tapping at the door before Koujaku and Mizuki appeared in the kitchen.

“Yo, Aoba.” Koujaku waves with one hand to the pair in the kitchen.

Aoba looked at him and swallowed the last bit of doughnut in his mouth before smiling.

“Hey Koujaku, Mizuki, my bags are upstairs.”

“Hah? You couldn't even bring them down?”

“Don't give me that, I just woke up a half hour ago.” Aoba pouted, crossing his arms.

Mizuki chuckles and walked over and grabbed a doughnut.

“Morning Tae-san.”

“Good morning Mizuki, and I see Koujaku still hasn't retained any manners of how to enter a home and greet its owners.” She huffed, sipping her tea.

“Ah, Tae-san...morning” Koujaku muttered sheepishly.

Aoba chuckled before standing and heading up to his room with Koujaku and Mizuki following right behind him. He slid his door open for the both of them, feeling a little out of place in his packed up room.

“So, is there some sort of bus the University sends out to get people? Otherwise it's a long walk there.” Aoba asked, folding up his bedsheets.

“Yeah, the dean of the school has shuttle busses heading to each students block to help them get to the dorms safely.” Mizuki smiled.

“Pretty generous right?” Koujaku nodded in agreement as he juggled two wheeled suitcases and a large box of Aoba's.

“We already got our stuff at our dorm. Which one were you assigned Aoba?”

“Ah, hold on.” Aoba scrounged around for a letter, opening up the paper from the open envelope.

“It says I'm staying at...Glitter?”

“Shit.” Mizuki huffed.

“Me and Koujaku are at Shimmer. Looks like you're rooming with strangers.”

Aobas face fell. He was certain he'd be assigned the same dorm building as his childhood friends. Being the youngest of the three, he looked at Mizuki and Koujaku as older brothers that helped him along the path of right choices and kept him out of trouble. Well, ever since his incident a few years back. Aoba couldn't quite remember a large chunk of his childhood before sixteen, so the two older men definitely helped Aoba out in many different situations. Being seperated from the two made him extremely anxious.

“Hey, Aoba.”

Aoba looked up at Koujaku, who had noticed his concerned face, with a slightly confused look.

“It'll be fine. Don't worry. All the dorms are withing walking distance from eachother. We can come over and check up on you at any time. Just message us on your coil.” Koujaku set down the box and patted Aoba's shoulder firmly, sending him a smile.

Aoba sighed and smiled up at him.

“Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.”

Mizuki checked the time on his coil.“Alright, are we good then? The shuttle is on its way to the block and we need to get moving.”

Koujaku and Aoba nodded before packing up the last things and heading out the front door. Before Aoba let for the bus, he rushed into the living area and pressed a loving kiss to Tae's cheek, hugging her snuggly before saying his goodbyes and rushing out of the home. The three friends hurried to the end of Aoba's block where a large double decker shuttle bus was waiting for all of its passengers to board. The sight of the bus was outstanding to Aoba. It was rare to see a functioning vehicle anywhere in the Old Residential Area, much less one this large. Koujaku nudged Aoba back into reality before dissapearing into the doors. Once Aoba made it inside, he was amazed by the space inside the large transportation vehicle.

“Ao~ba! Hurry up and sit down, we saved you a seat!” Koujaku called to him a few seats down, patting an empty seat between him and Mizuki.

Aoba nodded once before shuffling to the pair, taking a seat before the bus took off. He peered around at the other students in the school that were riding along with him. He recognized most of them from his street, but there were others that he hadn't seen before. This made his uneasy feeling grow a fraction. What if his roomates couldn't stand him? What if they decided to tug onto his hair as a joke? What if he was just miserable with his new roomates?

“Oi, Aoba, take a breath will you?”Mizuki patted his hand lightly.

“It won't be too bad okay? Me and Koujaku will be there.”

“Still...I can't shake this anxious feeling...” Aoba muttered, looking at Mizuki.

“Are you sure you guys can help out if I call?”

“Tch. Of course Aoba, big brother Mizuki has your back!”

Aoba punched Mizuki in the arm lightly and chuckled. “You're no where near close to a brother dude. More like a hazard waiting to happen.”

Mizuki put on a mock show of tears, busting into a light laugh only seconds later. Aoba smiled back at him. He definitely felt better after Mizuki had him relax. Maybe Platinum University wouldn't be so bad.

\------------------------------

 

Glitter wasn't too hard to find amidst the large amount of buildings outside the school. It was helpful that each building had the name printed out above the door to each home. He was also the first person to arrive at the building, making it easier for Koujaku and Mizuki to help him unpack. Aoba's room had a wall that was almost entirely a window. The only furniture in the room was a mattress and a bare pillow. The three looked throughout the home, noticing two other rooms along with a full kitchen, bathroom, and living area both up and downstairs.

It was beautiful.

“Aoba, we're gonna head out. We have to go make sure our other roomate doesn't show up to a vacant home. See ya.” Koujaku waved with one hand, smiling.

“Ah, okay, see you guys later then.”

Mizuki gave Aoba a one armed hug. “Remember, if you need anything we're just a coil call away.”

Aoba nodded and smiled at the two, waving as they left the home. He took a slow breath before sorting his things out completely before his other roomates appeared. It didn't take more than a half hour before someone was rattling at the doorknob. Aoba jumped up from his spot on the couch, stumbling as he hurried over to help open the door.

“Hold on, hold on! I'll open it for you!” he called. Aoba threw the door open, stumbling back a few steps as a box fell inside the front door.

“A-hh! I'm sorry, I had it set against the door!”

Aoba pushes the heavy box back, already muttering that it was okay as he looked up at his roomate. His eyes widened at the person in front of him. His head started to have a dull ache to it, as if it was trying to push out a familiar name for this person. His dark eyes lit up at the sight of Aoba and a light smile played at this persons lips.

“Aoba.”

“S-Sei?!”

Aoba sputtered out the name of his older twin brother. He hadn't seen him for years due to his physical condition continually degrading to almost nothing. He was sent to live with someone who could afford his operations and keep track of his help when the two of them were still extremely young. Tae had mentioned Sei before, but hadn't really explained the situation too much besides the obvious.

“It's wonderful to see you, Aoba. It has been far too long for the both of us.” Sei spoke softly, obviously still not in perfect condition, but well enough to be able to go to school.

“N-nii-san...”Aoba muttered, the small pangs of a headache slowly dissapating.

“I'd love to catch up now, but I have quite a few suitcases I would like your help with.”

Aoba blinks a few times before jumping up to his feet, helping Sei push in his large suitcases.

“What's all in these Sei? Bricks?!”

“More like hundreds of stuffed animals all air vacummed into three suitcases.”

“Eh? That many?”

“I cherish all the things I was given at my time in the hospitals. I couldn't just leave them.”

Aoba chuckled, helping Sei bring the numerous bags up into the middle room on the second floor of Glitter. After every bag and box was brought up, Sei was breathing heavily, slumping onto his bed.

“Nii-san, are you alright?”

Aoba was genuinely concerned. The whole reason Sei was seperated from him was because of his frail health. He didn't want him to dissapear on him again.

“No...I'm fine.” Sei smiled up at his brother. “I just have...to limit my...physical actions.” He panted softly, sitting upright.

Aoba took a slow breath, smiling lightly before jumping forward and gripping onto his older twin tightly.

“A-Aoba!” Sei squeaked.

“I haven't seen you in so long Sei.”

Sei blinks and smiles, petting Aoba's hair gently.

“I've missed you too Aoba. Don't think I didn't.” He wraps his thin arms around his younger twin gently. “I was actually a little frightened about living arrangements. I technically need to be monitored often in case something happens. My heart isn't very strong yet.”

“I was scared about someone pulling my hair.”

Sei lets an airy laugh escape his throat.

“It still hurts? My hair stopped that some time ago.” He wheezes slightly. “Would you mind if I asked you to release your hold? I can't breathe properly.”

Aoba quickly let go of Sei, holding his hands up as if he were in trouble. Sei only smiles amusedly at him. The two just smiled to eachother for a while before Sei was able to move properly. He opened up a few suitcases and placed plush stuffed animals around his room and on his bed.

“Your room looks so colorful compared to mine Sei.” Aoba mumbled, suprised at the sheer amount and diversity in types of stuffed animals.

“I hope you don't think your brother is an infant.” Sei joked, pulling off his hat and fixing his hair. “I just love everything I was given by my doctors.”

“No, Sei, it's alright. I have a whole bunch of retro computer parts strewn across my floor. It's not so different.”

“Stepping on those hurt more than these bears though.”

“Oh ha ha.”

The two giggled and joked around innocently for a while, eventually moving to the living area on the main floor. Sei sat with his legs crossed, a stuffed bear in his lap, and Aoba sat beside him, flipping through TV channels. The two had forgotten about the idea of an arriving third roomate. So, when the doorbell was rung late in the afternoon, they were slightly confused.

Aoba and Sei stood and walked to the door, opening it as a large figure stood on the other side of it. The twins gulped slightly at the threatening look of this man. He had short dark hair and tribal looking tattoos on his pale face. His golden eyes stood out the most. Until he smiled and dog-like canines protruded from his lips.

“REN!” The twins shouted in unison to the man, tugging him and his one shoulder bag into the house.

Ren made an amused noise, similar to that of a dogs bark, before hugging the both of them in his arms. He nuzzled his face into the twins heads.

“Aoba, Sei-san.” He sighed; if he had a tail, he would be wagging it.

Aoba pulled out of Ren's grasp to get an overall look at him. He was about a head taller than the twins, and about twice the mass. He was a distant cousin of the twins, having met them early in life and later meeting Aoba again during middle school.

Ren was a special case in early life. At age three, his foster family had left Midorijima without him. Ren, being scared and alone, was eventually cared for by a nuisance pack of dogs on the island. Ever since Allmates became popular, real animals had to fend for themselves after being abandoned by their owners. Sensing that Ren had a similar abandonment, he was taken care of by these feral dogs for ten years. He was found at age thirteen near the abandoned Northern District among the landfill areas. Aoba was reaquainted with him at fourteen by Tae, who had agreed to help Ren fit back in with human society. He was the same age as the twins, so it wasn't to hard to help him relearn Japanese and act human, although some dog traits will forever stick with him. At fifteen, Ren left on his own to explore Midorijima and help out the abandoned animals on the island. This is the first time Aoba had seen him in eight long years. Although Aoba couldn't remember most things, Ren and Sei were too important to him to ever forget.

“Ren, I've missed you buddy.” Aoba reached up and scratched through his hair.

Ren made a small growling noise and leant into the touch, causing an amused giggle to come from Sei.

“Aoba, please” Ren moved his head back, smiling down at the twins.

“You still say my name like a dog too. It's AO-ba, not OW-ba.”

Ren shruged at the younger twin. “It's an old habit. I can't break half of them, OWW-ba.” he chuckled, purposely over-pronounciating Aoba's name.

Sei took Aoba and Ren's hands gently in his own small ones and swung his arms slowly.

“The family is back together. This time we can protect eachother when it matters.”

Aoba and Ren looked to eachother before sending Sei a warm smile.

It would be a good year for all of them now that they were together again.


	2. Shimmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mizuki and Koujaku get settled into their own dorm house, a new roomate makes an appearance. Will the three get along?

Mizuki and Koujaku were a little uneasy leaving Aoba at Glitter alone, but they also had to finish unpacking their own things and greet their third room mate. They had decided to just send him a message later to make sure he was alright.

“Koujaku, man, I don't like leaving Aoba by himself.” Mizuki continually looked back every few seconds towards Glitter.

He was concerned that Aoba would get depressed if he truly felt he was alone. In recent years it hadn't happened, but Mizuki remembers the few times that it had, and it scared him. It had changed Aoba into a completely different person.

“Mizuki. Relax. We are literally only across the street from Glitter. It's not like we live in different districts anymore.”

“I guess you're right.”

Mizuki stretches out in an attempt to relax himself. He shouldn't worry too much about Aoba anymore. They were all adults now, so he needed to relax.

“Is there any alcohol in the house?” Koujaku chuckled.

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw a fully stocked bar on the second floor. We can check it out.”

“I'd never thought I'd say that college was the best fuckin' thing ever.” Mizuki put on a wide grin.

The pair stepped into Shimmer, kicking off their shoes and heading up the retro staircase to the second floor. Koujaku slipped his way to he bar as Mizuki felt over the high end pool table in the room.

“Hey, wanna shoot some pool? I haven't seen a table this nice in forever.”

“Probably cause your shop had nothing but hoodlums that destroyed the hell out of yours.” Koujaku teased, pouring a mixture of alcohol into the ornamental glasses.

“Hey, my boys get a little out of hand sometimes, but they're still like family.”

“Oh? How did the rest of Dry Juice take the fact that you're getting an education.”

“They were a little-er, no, they reverted back to two year olds. The amount of snot and tears coming from those guys was unbelievable.” Mizuki rolled his eyes at the memory. “I even offered to stay a year before going but they insisted I go. They even packed all my shit. Best thing is that they'll take good care of my shop, although I'm the only one allowed to tattoo there. Bar is open though.”

“A lot of guys in Beni-Shigure are actually here for school. The older guys decided to stay and help out people in the community.”

“I'm gonna miss Rib man.”

Mizuki set up the pool balls, looking over the poolsticks to see which one he could handle the best. The two of them really didn't play pool, but it was a way to relax and give Aoba time to adjust by himself. Koujaku set the glasses down on the table edge, picking up his own poolstick. He weighed it in his hand before he was satisfied and took a small sip of his drink. Mizuki put on his game face and stripped off his jacket, revealling his bright red t-shirt underneath. Koujaku chuckled at him.

“Gave up that Michael Jackson jacket for this game?”

“Says the samurai hairdresser, like, for real dude.”

Koujaku just scoffed and took aim at the cue ball. He pulled his arm back and pushes the stick forward, causing the cue ball to scatter the other balls over the table quickly. Mizuki whistled and looked around the pockets.

“You're stripes, I'm solids.” He smiled.

\----------------------------------------

It was around the third game when Aoba sent the two a picture message of himself, Ren, and Sei all playing a board game. It had the words 'look who got his family back' under it. Mizuki and Koujaku were relieved that Aoba would have a comfortable time at the school without them.

“Finally, they can keep him off my back so I can romance beautiful women.” Koujaku slurred, a little tipsy after the numerous drinks the two shared.

“You're such a whore dude.” Mizuki laughed. “Like, seriously, you might need to tally the amount of girls you give 'haircuts' to.”

“Mizuki, I don't sleep with all of them. Just the ones that want it.”

“So...all of them.”

“Sounds about right.”

They both break into a giggle fit that wouldn't seem suitable for their age. They were brought out of the giggles when they heard the front door creak open slowly. Mizuki stepped out of the room to peer over the banister at their new roomate. He was greeted with the sight of multiple glimmering peircings in a pale and stoic face. He blinked a few times before putting on a smile and waving.

“Hey, good evening. Need any help with your bags?”

“No.”

The red head was taken aback by the curt response, standing awkwardly on the second floor and looking down at this man. He glanced to the new room mates side and noticed only two suitcases.

“Well, alright, if you need any help we'll be in the kitchen shooting pool. We have drinks too.” He sent his most welcoming smile to the new guy, but was disheartened when he received the same stoic look from when he walked in. Mizuki quickly looked over to Koujaku for help. He wasn't expecting the new guy to just brush him off like that.

Koujaku walked past Mizuki and down the stairs, holding his hand out. “I can take a bag for you. It's no big deal.”

The stoic faced man quirked one of his eyebrows slightly.

“Are you deaf? I said no.”

“Well you don't have to be such a dick dude.”

“My name isn't 'dude'.”

“Then what the Hell is your name kid?”

“Aren't you supposed to tell me yours first? For an old man you sure are skimping out on manners.” A slight smirk appeared on his face, taunting Koujaku.

“You little-!”

Mizuki stepped in between the two and brought his fingers to his mouth, letting out a loud and high-pitched whistle. The two jumped slightly and turn towards Mizuki. The red head crossed his arms.

“How old are we here? I have guys that are still highschoolers that act more mature than the both of you.” He turned to Koujaku.“You definitely know better, and you-” He turned to the new roomate. “-learn how to speak to people you just met. We just wanted to help. You didn't have to be a dick.” He took a breath and looked between the two.

“I'm Mizuki. This is Koujaku. What should we call you?”

The man with piercings huffed. “Noiz.”

Mizuki smiled. “See, that wasn't too bad now was it? Your room is the farthest one to the left.”

“Tch.”

Noiz grabbed up his bags and walked up the stairs, glancing over at Koujaku along the way before disappearing behind his door.

“That has to be the most disrespectful little shit i've ever met.”

“Well, you'll have to live with it Koujaku. Act your age at least.”

“Woah, woah, woah, don't you even blame me for this.” Mizuki rolled his eyes.

“I'm calling for a pizza, please don't start another fight okay? Go apologize.”

“Dude-”

“Koujaku. Apologize, you are twenty-seven years old dammit.”

Koujaku grumbled before heading up the stairs. Mizuki shook his head slightly as he pulled up a phone book on his coil, calling a local pizza place. He thought a little about what the others would want for toppings

. “Oi,” He called up the stairs. “...what do you guys want on the pizza, I'm ordering two!”

Noiz appeared out of his room, tilting his head slightly. “Pepperoni and sausage is fine.”

“How much do you eat?”

“As much as I can.”

Mizuki furrowed his brow a bit before nodding. “Alright. Two larges then.” He walked up the stairs. “Koujaku, pizza toppings.”

“Doesn't matter.”

“Alright. I'll take two large pizzas, one with pepperoni and sausage and the second with half black olives and half bacon.” Mizuki spoke into his coil. Once the order was placed, Mizuki lay back on the couch in the living area, taking a breath. He wasn't too happy about his room mates dislike for each other.

“Hell...they just met too.” He muttered to himself.

Mizuki's coil rang on his wrist softly, grabbing his attention. He opened the message and smiled when he saw it was from Aoba. It was another picture message. Aoba's face was in the bottom corner of it as Aoba's other two roomates were eating in back. The caption this time was 'Ba-chan sent food.' Mizuki took a picture of himself with a stressed look and sent it with the message, 'Had to stop a fight between roomates.' A few seconds later he received a message that simply stated, 'He's too old to be acting like that'. Mizuki broke into a light laughter before forwarding the message to Koujaku. He smirked when he heard an irritated growl from upstairs.

“Told you Koujaku!”

“Shut up Mizuki!!”

The doorbell rung and Mizuki jumped up from the couch, opening the door and taking the pizza. He gave the delivery guy a decent tip along with the payment. He sighed in content at the familiar scent of fresh, hot pizza and made his way back upstairs to the pool room. Noiz appeared in the room a few seconds after Mizuki set the pizza boxes down.

“Oh, hey. We have some drinks too. Any alchohol you prefer?” Mizuki held out a plate with a slice on it to Noiz.

“I don't drink.”

“Oh, uh, well, we have water. I'm not sure what else though.”

Noiz shrugged and headed towards the fridge, pulling out a can of fruit juice. He walked back over and plopped onto the couch, his eyes directed at the show that was playing. Mizuki sat by him with half of a seat seperating them.

“So, Noiz, what's your major? I'm here for the Arts. Mostly illustration and ink work.”

“Programming.”

“No way! Hell, you must be super fucking smart to do that. I could barely pass basic algebra in highschool!”

Noiz shrugged and bit into his pizza, swallowing a piece before speaking again. “I don't like history. It was a big waste of my time.”

Mizuki smiled and nodded. He still felt uncomfortable around the stoic man, but it was nice to be able to talk.

“I would've went to school a lot sooner, but I was never able to leave the island. Prices to leave sky-rocketed a few years ago out of nowhere. I couldn't leave.”

“You've been here your whole life?”

“Yeah, born and raised. Mom and dad died a while ago, so I've been on my own since I was a teenager.”

“I just came here a few years ago.”

“Why?”

“Needed to escape.”

Mizuki went to press further, but Koujaku walked in and the tension in the room elevated. He sent a look to the older man before relaxing and eating his pizza.

“Mizuki, Aoba wanted to know if you wanted any leftovers for breakfast tomorrow at his buidling.”

“Ah~h! Tae-san's cooking is worth it. Tell him we'll be over for breakfast around nine.”

“Nine? You know he won't be up by then.”

“Class starts in about a week, he needs to keep on a schedule.”

“Okay mom.” Koujaku chuckled, taking his own pizza and leaning back in a recliner.

Mizuki rolled his eyes and turned to Noiz. “Want some breakfast tomorrow? Our friend Aoba wouldn't mind having you over. His grandmother probably sent a weeks worth of food.”

Noiz scrunched up his nose a little.

“Aoba...what's his last name?”

“Er, Seragaki, why?”

“Sounded familiar.”

"I can pull up a picture. Maybe it would help-?”

“Don't need it.”

Mizuki stopped himself and closed his coil. He didn't want anyone to get irritated, but it was weird or him to be brushed off. Noiz had a cold personality and his stoic gaze didn't help soften anything about him. Koujaku kept his mouth shut and turned his focus to the television. A game show was playing that included obstacles and required some sort of skill to make it through within a time limit. It kept the three guys focused as they ate both pizzas; Noiz actually eating all of one large pizza. Mizuki went to bed first, making sure the two promised to head to sleep within the next hour before closing his door. Koujaku finished his last beer bottle before slowly standing and throwing it away.

“Hey, you should get to bed soon. When Mizuki sets a wake-up time, he won't hesitate to flip your mattress over to wake you up.”

Noiz grunted in response as he wiped his face with his sleeve, flipping the TV off and heading to his room. Koujaku followed him a few feet before entering the middle room, muttering a goodnight before shutting his door.

Noiz closed his door quietly before stripping down and settling into his bed, flipping on his coil and opening a few programs.

“Aoba Seragaki...” He muttered as he typed in the name he had heard from Mizuki earlier. He knew he had heard the name before, but he couldn't quite place it. It only took a few seconds to find Aoba's social media profile and it clicked.

“Ah. Sly Blue.”

The corner of his mouth twitched into a small smirk. Noiz had become a fan of Rhyme a few years ago. Rhyme was an interactive online game that pitted skill and strategy against others in a three dimensional plane that can be manipulated by the users. Usually there was a moderator for Rhyme, Usui, but Noiz had perfected the art of drive-by Rhyme games, tweaking the settings as to allow pain to be felt in a higher volume than what regulations allowed.

“Found you at last.” He muttered, shutting down his coil.

He set the device down on his bedside table before laying back and taking a slow breath, yawning halfway through it. He was certain this 'Aoba' person was also Sly Blue, but he couldn't be certain. He had heard rumors of a Rhyme player who had the ability to destroy other minds by his voice, hell, he almost witnessed it once, but that man had long dissappeared. Noiz moved onto his side and looked out the window of his room. Maybe he could see if that Aoba guy even knew what Rhyme was. Sly Blue had been missing or years, so maybe it was an old personality. He rubbed his eyes and let out another breath before sinking into his pillow and falling asleep. It would have to wait until morning.

\-------------------------------------------

Koujaku woke up with the sound of the shower running down the hall. He moved his head to look over at his alarm clock.

“Damn Mizuki and his early morning showers. Six in the frickin' morning.”

He groggily stummbled from his bed and slipped his pants on, not bothering with his kimono this early. Koujaku shuffled out of the room, heading downstairs to the window. He pulled a carton of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one, cracking the window open and taking a slow drag. He really should've went to bed earlier, knowing Mizuki makes plenty of noise in the morning when he got ready. The hairdresser blows out smoke slowly, smiling to himself. It was nice to actually live with one of his closest friends.

“Hey, Koujaku, shower's open if you want it.”

Mizuki stood beside him, patting a towel over his hair.

“Nah, I'll get in one later. Let the kid get in.”

Mizuki rolled his eyes and walked upstairs, messing with his earrings as he knocked on the door.

“Hey Noiz. Shower's open if you want to use it.”

There was no response. Mizuki shook his head before stepping into the room.

“Hey, you should get up or we'll miss breakfast-!”

Noiz was sitting in the middle of the room, fully dressed. He had looked back at the intruder and sneered. There were several holographic screens lit up rom his coil, the largest screen showing a picture of Mizuki.

“Woah! Hey! Are you doing a background check on me?!” Mizuki shouted.

“I knew I saw you from somewhere.”

“You couldn't just ask like a normal fucking person?!”

Noiz stood, his eye level just above Mizuki's. The red head gulped and took a step back. He couldn't quite tell what was going on in this guy's head.

“You're a Ribster. Leader of that Dry Juice group.” Noiz spoke dryly.

“Well, yeah, a lot of people know that. Got a problem?” Mizuki bristled.

He didn't like the tone Noiz was taking when he spoke about his family. Dry Juice was a Rib team, but they were the best group of people he could ever ask for. The red head was overprotective of his group for a reason. Having the largest and most famous Rib team came with large shoes to fill.

“Not with you or your team. Just Rib overall.”

“What're you, A Rhyme player? 'Cause I have the same attitude, kid. Don't push when you can't handle a shove.”

Noiz blinked and held his hands up a bit. “I'd usually pick this sort of fight, but I'll save it for the other guy. It'd be more fun”

“Don't you start anything with Koujaku.”

“I won't start, but I will definitely finish it.”

Mizuki bit the inside of his cheek and sighs.

“Look. I won't get in the way of the two of you. He should be old enough to handle his anger, but if you guys decide to scrap, then I don't wanna hear either of you whine to me about it.”

“Understood. You're pretty smart for a Ribster.”

“And you're pretty fuckin' dull for a Rhyme player.”

Noiz huffs but his lips quirk up into an amused smirk. Mizuki chuckles and nods his head to the door.

“C'mon, go brush your teeth or something. I'm gonna head over to Glitter early to make sure Aoba's up. I expect you guys there at nine okay?”

Noiz shrugs and heads down the hall to the bathroom as Koujaku was heading up. Mizuki grabs his arm before they pass.

“Yo, don't get into a fight okay? Aoba will get worried if you come over with bruises and a broken nose.”

“Hah? Why would I get into a fight?”

“Just don't get into one, I don't care how pissed off you get.” Mizuki leans closer, whispering. “He's got that dangerous air about him, like, he could just go off at any second. Be careful.”

Koujaku stared at Mizuki with a confused look, but nodded when he saw how serious the shorter male was.

“Alright. I got it. Go wake Aoba up.”

Mizuki nodded and pat Koujaku's shoulder with an open palm before heading out of the home. Koujaku thought about what Mizuki had said. He felt a little uneasy being in the same place as the kid now. He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Dangerous my ass.” He grumbled, heading to his room and pulling his kimono on.

His hand brushed through his hair as he tied it back, sticking his hair pin in and looking in his window to check out his reflection.

“Tattoos like those are usually meant to be shown, right?”

Koujaku stiffened and turned, sending a harsh glare to the younger man in the room.

“I don't remember giving you permission to fuckin' spy on me you little brat.”

“You didn't shut your door.”

The hairdresser opened his mouth to retort, but couldn't quite find a good insult.

“What? Out of witty comments? Well, that doesn't suprise me, you _are_ a Ribster.”

Something in Koujaku snapped. Fuck trying to stay out of a fight, he could deal with Mizuki and Aoba reprimanding him. He sent his fist flying at the other, who had foreseen the action and ducked out of the way, smirking up at Koujaku.

“Your age is making you slow, old man. Wanna try that again?”

“Then stay still for a damn minute!”

“Nah.”

Koujaku growled and threw his punch again, just barely brushing Noiz's shoulder. Noiz had turned his body and stripped the metal knuckle braces off his hands, letting them hit the floor before throwing his fist against the taller man's side. Koujaku gasped in pain and quickly grabbed Noiz by the hair, shoving him down and throwing his knee into his stomach. Noiz didn't seem to be harmed what-so-ever by the powerful kick, using Koujaku's hesitant state to grab his arms around the hairdresser and tackle him down against the hardwood floor.

“Get offa' me!” Koujaku roared, shoving at Noiz.

Noiz sat up on Koujaku's waist, his fist almost connecting with Koujaku's cheek before the hairdresser caught him by the wrist and bend it back, flipping the two of them over and pinning Noiz down with his own bodyweight. The younger man tried to throw his other fist before that one was caught as well. Noiz struggled, almost breaking Koujaku's grasp before Koujaku threw his forehead down against Noiz's. A sickening ' _crack_ ' sounded through the room before Koujaku backed off of Noiz, gripping his forehead.

“Shit, that hurt like hell.”

Noiz huffed and sat up, feeling his forehead and pulling his hand down to see a red liquid coating his fingers. He furrowed his eyebrows together before standing and faltering slightly.

“Hey, fuck, you're bleeding. Looks like I knocked your balance off too.” Koujaku laughs bitterly, standing and pulling Noiz's arm over his shoulder. “I'll get that cut patched up.”

“Leave it.”

“Hah?”

“I said to leave it. It'll scab over and heal itself.”

“Dude, I'm sure I gave you a concussion.” Koujaku let Noiz go against his better judgement. “A'ight then. Just make sure you at least make youself look presentable when we go to Glitter. Mizuki will fucking kill us if we look too fucked up.”

Noiz grunted a little, heading to the bathroom to fix himself up. Koujaku felt his own forehead swell and bruise, hissing in pain.

“Shit. I really did go too far. I'll be feeling this for a few days.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried so hard to stay in character here, so please tell me if something's off. Thanks for reading!


	3. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I added some things to spice it up a little, pretty much revealing a future ship and introducing self conscious Sei!

“Ao~ba!”

“Aoba.”

  
“Aoba!!"

  
“SHUT UP!”

  
The three different voices laughed quietly as the grumpy blue haired man sat up. Aoba grumbled and sent a glare to the smiling faces.

“You guys are assholes.”

“C'mon Aoba, I know Koujaku told you what time I was gonna have you wake up by.” Mizuki chuckled, pulling the blanket off of him.

“Woah! HEY!”

Aoba went red as he tried to grab at the blanket, only wearing a pair of bright blue boxer-briefs. Sei went pink and giggled behind his hand, looking through Aoba's dresser for something his younger twin could wear. Ren laughed a bit before gently tugging the blanket away from Mizuki, handing it to Aoba to cover himself.

“Oh c'mon Aoba, I've seen you bare naked plenty of times.”

“Mizuki!”

Mizuki chuckled as he left the room, leaving Aoba with a bright red complexion.

“Aoba, you have a very wonderful friend.” Sei handed Aoba a neatly folded pair of pajamas.

He took them and quickly threw them on. “He's like a tick that settles itself right on the part of your back that you can't reach.”

Ren winced. “I know how that feels.”

Aoba snorted and bit his lip to keep from laughing. Ren noticed it and gave Aoba an unamused look.

“I see what you're doing.”

“Wh-What ever are you talking about, Ren.” Aoba batted his eyelashes at the taller man, a light laugh playing at his lips.

Sei rolled his eyes with an endearing smile, heading out of the room.

“Aoba.”

“Owba.”

“Aoba, that isn't funny.”

“Bullshit that isn't funny!”

Ren tried to look irritated but couldn't wipe his smile from his features.

“Okay fine, I can't help the way I speak.”

“It's better than when you spoke extremely proper Japanese. That got old real quick.”

Ren smiled, showing his dog-like canines. “I remember. You made fun of me so I started throwing around words like 'Babe' and 'Sugar'.”

“You didn't 'throw them around'. You only used them for me!”

“How was that a problem?”

Aoba turned a light shade of pink. He never assumed Ren had gotten better with retorts, even though it was most definitely flirting.

“Er, I'm kinda starving. Wanna eat Ren?”

“Sure, Tae-san's cooking was always the best.”

Aoba stood up and stretched, stumbling to the left slightly. Ren quickly stood beside Aoba, holding him up.

“Be careful Aoba.”

Ren held around Aoba's waist, squeezing slightly as he whispered to him. Aoba felt his face grow warmer, nodding slightly.

“Ye-Yeah...silly me, haha.” He wriggled slightly. “C'mon, let me go Ren.”

“Let me be a little selfish, just for a few minutes.”

“Ren...” Aoba, swallowed, turning to look at Ren.

Ren had nuzzled his face into Aoba's shoulder. Aoba stood still, shifting his feet slightly when they started to ache from standing too long. The taller man took in a slow breath,exhaling over Aoba's skin.

“Aoba, I haven't seen you in so long. You smell nice.”

“O-okay, I think we're done here.” He untangled Ren's hands from his waist.

Ren growled under his breath and held him closer, sitting back on Aoba's bed with the shorter male sitting in his lap.

“Ren!”

Aoba struggled and wriggled around for a few seconds before huffing and leaning back into Ren. Ren smiled into his shoulder and nuzzled into him more.

“You're such a brat.”

“Love you too, Aoba.” Ren chuckled, sliding his hand up over his chest.

“H-hey, keep your hands still.”

“I want to tease you, Aoba.”

Aoba, turned his head to look at Ren. He was completely red and felt as if the temperature of the room has increased exponentially. He felt Ren's fingers creep into his pajama shirt in between its buttons. His calloused fingers brushed over one of his soft nipples, causing Aoba to tense up.

“Re-Ren, quit it...”

“Aoba, it's getting stiff here.”

“Mnn...”

Aoba shifted around a bit, trying to shake off the hand that was teasing the sensitive nub on his chest. This only provoked Ren to roll the puckered nipple in between his fingers, earning a shaky breath from Aoba. Ren dragged his tongue against the pale skin of Aoba's neck slowly, growling into his ear as he nibbled the lobe.

“Ah-! Ren! S-Stop!”

Aoba was scared. What the hell was Ren even thinking? It had only been a day since they were reunited and he was pulling this bullshit. He was acting like a dog in heat.

Shit.

“Fuck, Ren, quit it now! I can't fucking believe you're pulling this heat shit!”

Ren blinked a few times before he let his hands slide off of Aoba and back to his own sides. He looked away, growing darker red as the seconds went by.

“Aoba, shit, I'm so sorry.”

“No, Ren. I, well, it wasn't the first time you've pulled that. Remember? Puberty fucking sucked with you.”

Ren laughed a little, keeping his gaze down.

“If it's any consolation,” Aoba coughed nervously in his hand. “I wouldn't have let anyone else touch me like that.”

The taller man perked up and looked at him.

“We're like brothers right?” Aoba smiled, smoothing his shirt out and quickly turning away from Ren.

Ren smiled to himself, understanding Aoba's nervousness and stood. He hugged around Aoba's slim shoulders and pressed a friendly kiss to the back of his head.

“Of course, Aoba.”

Aoba reached his hand back and pet Ren's head gently before pulling himself away from the other man's embrace.

“C'mon, I can smell Ba-chan's cooking already.”

Ren reached out and brushed his fingers against Aoba's hand. Aoba stopped and looked back at the other man, a puzzled look on his face. Bright gold eyes begged for Aoba to stay for a while longer. He quickly looked away, but felt Ren's larger hand squeezed his own firmly.

“Aoba.”

Ren's voice had a desperate tone to it. He wanted to stay beside Aoba, preferably alone. The man absolutely loved both Sei and Aoba, but there was something he felt towards the healthier twin that he wanted to keep for himself. It confused him to feel like this. He assumed it may have been his canine instincts taking over.

Ren felt as if he were a pet, and he didn't mind single moment of it.

“Ren, please, let's go eat and we can go catch a movie later okay? I know we haven't seen each other in years, but it's only our second day here. Take a breath. Your nerves are making you act like a dog.”

Ren nodded his head a little. He was certain it was his nerves. It had happened before when they were in their early teens. Ren would grab onto Aoba and refuse to let him go.Needless to say, it was a rather awkward becoming a teenager.

“Aoba, I would like to watch a movie in one of our rooms.”

“I'll ask Sei if he wants to watch one.”

“No.”

Aoba raised an eyebrow at Ren.

“Why not?”

“Because.” Ren swallowed. “Because-”

\----------------------------------------------------

Sei closed the door to Aoba's room behind him softly. He felt that to two needed some time to themselves to reconnect. In a way, it almost felt intrusive to listen in on their conversation. Ren and Aoba had been around eachother for a longer period of time than Sei had been around them. It made him feel lonely, but he wasn't too upset. He would have plenty of time to get to know his relatives during the school year.

 

A pleasant smell reached his nose and he sighed, his eyelids fluttering. Sei peeked into the kitchen.

“I see you're familiar with Tae-san's food, Mizuki-san.”

The red head quickly looked back at Sei, his face slightly pale.

“You scared the crap outta' me Sei. I'm used to Aoba stomping and whining the first hour he wakes up. You're like a ghost.”

Sei knit his eyebrows together, a slightly puzzled look on his face.

“Well, I didn't mean to frighten you.”

“No, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just not used to someone that knows what an inside voice is supposed to sound like.”

“Oh, I guess I could understand.”

“You guess?” Mizuki turned to face Sei. He let his elbows rest on the counter behind him as he leaned back into a more comfortable pose. “You haven't really been around the Old

District much have you?”

“Ah, no. I've been in hospitals my whole life. I have an extremely weak heart.”

“Can Tae-san even afford that?”

Sei giggled behind his hand.

“No, no. I was never under Tae-san's custody. She adopted Aoba and I was taken in by someone who could afford my hospital bills.”

“So this is like the first time you've seen Aoba?”

“In person, yes. We used to talk over video for a while until my heart became dangerously weak. They didn't want to risk any excitement...”

Mizuki watched Sei as he spoke, noticing little things about him. The way he brushed his hair back behind his ear and how he kept his arms close to his body. His lips quirked up into a little smile as he watched Sei's eyes dart between his own green ones and the floor. He looked as if he would shatter with the slightest touch.

“...so, I take it Aoba is a very stubborn person?”

Mizuki blinked and snapped out of his thoughts, standing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. He can be a bastard at times but I still love him, even through his early morning bitchiness.”

Sei smiled at Mizuki. “Thank you for being there for him when I wasn't able to.”

“I-it's no problem, really. You can't give me all the credit either. My boys and Koujaku also helped keep him safe and sound.”

“Aoba did mention you were the leader of a Rib team. I've been fascinated by that sort of lifestyle for a while. I've only seen Rhyme players since I've been out of the hospital.”

Mizuki smiled and tugged his jacket into place as he took a few steps closer. “So he didn't mention that I had the largest Rib team on the island?”

Sei's eyes lit up as he clasped his hands together. “Really? What's it called?”

“Dry Juice.”

“Dry Juice...” Sei repeated before bouncing on his feet lightly. “I feel as if I met a celebrity!”

“Now don't go and blow his ego up. That's the last thing we need.”

Sei looked over his shoulder at Koujaku, who was wearing a sly grin on his face. Mizuki rolled his eyes before heading over to him.

“Where's Noiz at?”

Koujaku cleared his throat a little before pointing his thumb back to the doorway where Noiz was standing, checking his coil. There was a large and nasty looking scab on his forehead. Mizuki looked back at Koujaku and flicked his forehead, earning a yelp in response.

“You're absolutely fucking kidding me right?! I told you two not to fight and look what happens! I wasn't even gone for an hour!”

“Oi, Mizuki, it wasn't even a fight. Just a little scrap”

“Your forehead looks like a softball. Bullshit it was just a scrap. And you-!”

Sei followed Mizuki with his eyes as he went to scold the other man in the house. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, turning to look up into a red eye.

“Sorry about that. Mizuki's the mother hen in the group. He gets a little protective over anyone he meets.”

Sei looks back over to Mizuki, who was forcefully dragging Noiz into the living room to clean his forehead, and sighs quietly.

“I think it's a very charming aspect.”

Koujaku raised his eyebrow, amused. He wasn't sure what the younger man meant by that, but he left it as admiration.

“Hey, you're Sei right? Aoba sent me a picture of you guys last night.”

“Yes, we decided to have a sort of celebration for being reunited after all this time.”

“Hey, where is Aoba anyway?”

“He's upstairs with Ren. I figured that I would let them talk a while. Ren's been at his hip since he arrived. Just like a small dog.”

Koujaku chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I remember Ren. I get what you're saying.”

Sei looked back into the kitchen and gasped.

“Maybe I should go get them. Tae-san's food will get cold.”

“Alright, I'll make sure the table is all set.”

Sei nodded and brushed his hair back as he took slow steps upstairs towards Aoba's room. He could hear faint speaking from the outside of the door, waiting patiently outside as not to disturb the two.

_“I'll ask Sei if he wants to watch one.”_

_“No!”_

Sei jumped slightly at the louder tone in Ren's voice. What was the problem with him watching a movie? As long as it wasn't too frightening, it should be okay. Or was it something else? Maybe Ren didn't want to be around Sei to much. They hadn't really known each other aside from the few online video chats they had, and even then he still couldn't speak that well.

_“Why not?”_

_“Because.”_

Sei could hear the tension in Ren's voice. He gripped the doorknob as he heard Ren beginning to speak again.

_“Because-”_

Sei thew the door open, speaking quickly. “B-Breakfast is ready!”

Aoba and Ren had turned to face Sei, hearing his voice.

“Oh, alright. We'll be down in a second okay?”

“Er, M-Mizuki and Koujaku would rather you come down this instant. They brought their roomate over.”

“They're already here? Alright I'm coming down. C'mon Ren.”

Ren flicked his gold eyes over at Sei before turning his attention back to Aoba. He looked slightly bristled as he walked past the older twin and out of the room. Sei kept his gaze lowered as he followed Ren out. What did he do wrong? He tried to keep his composure the best he could as they walked down to the living area. His breath was staggered and his pale lips trembled slightly.

“Hey, Sei-san.”

Sei snapped his head up when he felt large hands on his shoulders. He swallowed as Ren held him still, looking at him.

“You're upset over what was said before aren't you?”

Sei quickly looked down.

“Don't try to avoid it, I could smell you outside the door. You're misunderstanding.” He looked over at the others before quieting his voice further. “I wasn't trying to sound rude. I just want to spend a little time alone with Aoba, to, er, sort out my emotions.”

Sei slowly understood what Ren was getting at. “So, you might possible have-”

Ren shooshed him before nodding.

“I just need to make sure it isn't my heat acting up again, so, please.”

“Why didn't you just tell him?”

“I was trying, but you opened up the door.”

The older twin felt his heart sink again. Regardless of the misunderstanding, it was still his fault Ren was a little angry.

“I'm sorry, Ren-san.”

Ren let out a breath before hugging onto him lightly, rubbing his back.

“Don't blame this on yourself okay? There was a lot that happened before you even got up there.” Ren spoke calmly, “I love you too, Sei, and I do want to hang out with you, but I feel something...different for Aoba. Something...stronger.”

Sei nodded and hugged him a little tighter before letting Ren go.

“It's alright. I'll see if I can find something to do while you want alone time.”

Ren almost barked and pulled Sei into his arms, lifting him off his feet and swinging him around excitedly. Sei felt slightly nauseous, but laughed and pet Ren's hair.

“Alright, Alright! Put me down please!” Sei giggled as Ren carried him into the living area, placing him onto the couch beside Mizuki.

Aoba laughed at his two red faced relatives. At least it didn't seem like Ren had a problem with Sei, it looked the exact opposite.

He wondered what the problem really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys have ANYTHING you'd like to note for future chapters, please, tell me. Otherwise, enjoy and thank you!


	4. Glisten

“ _Yura, Yura, Yurameku._  
 _Nami no, ma ni._  
 _Kira, Kira, Kagayaku_  
 _Koe wa tada yure,_  
 _Kanata e to_."

  
A soft, voice traveled through the seemingly empty dorm house as if it were a gentle breeze wafting in through the doors and windows. Empty bottles and shimmering pieces of glass were placed throughout the small room, creating scattered lights around the room. Wind chimes made soft chirping sounds as they swayed along with the breeze. A figure stood in front of the large, open window, perched on the balcony.

“ _Yume, Miru, KURAGE wa._

_Uta, Utau yo._

_Yasashii, Umibe de_  
 _Nemu ru..._ ”

  
The owner of the voice spun a completely clear umbrella in his gloved hands. Although the skies were blue and the sun shone, he kept the umbrella open, twirling it slowly. He looked up to the skies, his voice slightly muffled by a large and clunky as mask that has covered his face. In fact, his whole body was covered by some sort of clothing, excluding his hair and ears.

“ _Yura, Yura, Yurameku,_  
 _Hikari no Tsubu._  
 _Kira, Kira, Kagayaki._

_Koe wa, tada yure,_

_Anata e to._ ”

His voice continued to flow through the dorm house, drifting into the room at the end of the hall where another man sat, his hands clasped together and his head bowed. Feathers and beads decorated the man's hair, glinting in the sunlight that filtered through his curtains. He was a large man with scars that told tales of his past and a certain gruffness about him would persuade most people in keeping their distance from him. He had mumbled a few things under his breath as he prayed, stopping when he felt it was necessary.

“ _Donna, Toki demo,_  
 _Kono uta hibiki watareba._  
 _Donna, Iro demo,_  
 _Sunda sore ni,_  
 _Tarete yuku yo..._ ”

The singing voice had caught the older man's attention. He stood, stepping out of his room in a plain shirt and pants, heading to the end of his hall. His room mate's door was open, as it usually was at this time of day, to allow more light to filter through. He stepped through the door framed, being mindful of he fragile objects cluttered throughout the room. The man walked onto the balcony, leaning over the railing beside the singing man. He pulled out a decorated pipe, lighting it and taking slow breaths as he listened to his room mate peacefully.

“ _Yura, Yura, Yurameku,_  
 _Nami no, ma ni._  
 _Kira, Kira, Kagayaku_  
 _Koe wa tada yure,_  
 _Kanata e to..._ ”

The singing man swung his legs slowly along with the slow and steady tempo of the song. He acknowledged that his room mate was beside him, tilting his head as a smile played on his song. The smoking man waited for his room mate to finish peacefully. The two of them had some sort of silent agreement when they met each other, neither of them having to make ground rules. They both kept to themselves to a degree. It was easier that way.

“ _Yume, Miru, Kurage wa._  
 _Uta, Kanade._  
 _Kira, Kira, Kagayaku,_  
 _Koe wa tada yure,_  
 _Anata e to._ ”

The man finished his song and turned to his room mate, a smile playing at his voice.

“Good morning Mink-san!”

The smoking man, Mink gave a grunt in return, taking a slow drag from his pipe. He let the smoke pool from his mouth in cloudy wisps, turning his gaze to his masked room mate.

“I bought the ingredients you asked for the other day, Clear.” Mink's deep voice rumbled in a quiet tone.

“Ah~~I can make coffee cake now! Thank you Mink-san!”

Clear clapped his gloved hands together and stepped back onto the balcony, heading through his glimmering room. He rushed down the stairs, his pastel yellow scarf trailing behind him. Mink put his pipe out before heading back inside as well. Living with a person as excitable as Clear wasn't as bad as one would think. Clear was easy to please and respected any wishes that were made. It was also worth noting that Clear could cook extremely well.

“Mink-san, have you eaten yet? I was going to make omelets!”

Clear was facing the stove top, his voice bubbly and excited, as it usually was. Mink walked over to him, making himself a cup of tea.

“No, I haven't eaten.”

“I'll make them with peppers and bacon too!”

Mink nodded once, letting the kettle heat up. He made sure to stay out of Clear's way as he cooked. It was out of respect for the masked man's space. Mink hadn't seen Clear's actual face, and he guessed he probably never would. It hadn't mattered much to Mink anyway. If his roomate wanted to hide his face, then that was fine. It was similar to talking about his past. He was sure not to tell anyone, and nobody should care.

“Mink-san, your tea is ready.”

Clear pulled the whistling kettle off of the burner and set it beside Mink on an oven mitt.

“Careful, it's pretty hot.”

“I realize that.”

Clear giggled and nodded.

“Of course, Mink-san is very smart.”

Mink rolled his eyes slightly, pouring the hot water into his mug. The strong aroma of tea rose from his cup as he let the fresh leaves soak up the water. Clear took in a deep breath, sighing softly.

“That smells amazing, Mink-san.”

“Would you like me to make you a cup?”

“No, no it's alright. I'll make my own. Thank you!”

Clear flipped the skillet up, effectively catching the omelet on its other side. He hummed to himself as he finished their breakfast.

“Clear, roll up your sleeves.”

The masked man looked back at him with a questioning tone.

“Hah? Why?”

“It'll catch fire.”

“Oh!”

Clear quickly pulled his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing porcelain smooth skin. Mink had seen bits and parts of Clear's skin, usually his forearms or calves, but that didn't matter to him. If Clear wished to hide his appearance from the world, so be it.

“Mink-san~! Here you go!”

Clear had a smile in his voice as he set Mink's omelet in front of him, standing and waiting for the other man to take a bite. This was an everyday ritual between the two. Every time Clear made something, he made sure it was to Mink's liking before eating his own.

Mink separated a small piece of the omelet with his fork, taking a bite and closing his eyes, trying to place all of the flavors Clear had used.

“It's good. Eat.”

Clear jumped up and quickly put together his plate, sitting across from Mink and scarfing down his food. While Clear practically inhaled his food, Mink took small bites, savoring the flavor. The two wouldn't call themselves friends, but they didn't get irritated with each other either. It was just a mutual understanding for each other.

“Mink-san, I was wondering if you'd like to go look around the campus today. Class starts in a few days.”

“That would be a good idea. Have you bought your books yet?”

“Ah, no, I haven't. My book waiver just came in.”

Mink nodded once, standing and rinsing off his plate before setting it in the sink. Clear clambered from his seat to do the same, following behind Mink.

“It's going to be warm today. Take that coat off.”

“I'll be fine Mink-san, I'm pretty hardy in all temperatures.”

Mink grunted in response, not pressing the matter further. He, on the other hand, decided against his heavy leather jacket and walked out of the house in a t-shirt and beaten up jeans. He tied his hair up into a ponytail as he stepped off of the front steps. He felt something fall into his back with some force behind it.

“You missed a step, again.”

“Sorry Mink-san, I'm still not used to it.”

Clear pushed his hands on Mink's back, pushing himself back onto his feet. The larger man stood still until Clear walked past him, his gas mask pointed at his feet to see where he was going. Mink followed after the fully covered man, making sure to direct his if he diverts his path. One thing he had learned after rooming with the man for two weeks was that he was easily distracted.

“Oi.”

Mink called ahead, noticing Clear veering towards a few empty bottles scattered among the street. Clear stopped in his tracks and turned around.

“Mink-san! Can we stop by the campus shops?!”

“No.”

Clear sagged his shoulders a little, but nodded. He usually listened to Mink, seeing as the man could prevent him from spending money he really didn't have.

“Mink-san, did you get your schedule yet?”

“How else would I have gotten my books?”

“Oh...”

Mink rolled his eyes and walked past Clear, causing the shorter man to jog to catch up to his pace.

“Mink-san, Mink-san! Let's go get pastries afterwards!”

“I bought you ingredients to make your own.”

“Ah, then we should go see the ocean!”

“Do you own a vehicle?”

“Mink-san...you're so mean...”

“I'm practical.”

Clear laughed lightly. He enjoyed any conversation he could force from the man. An added bonus is that Mink never yelled at him, which he appreciated dearly.

“Mink-san, what if I get lost?”

“Get a map.”

The two walked through the entrance of the elegant building. It was a pearly white on the inside and boasted to have classes for all majors within its halls. Clear felt slightly unsettled in the building, feeling that the air surrounding it was almost too calm.

“Mink-san, on second thought, I'd rather just get my books and go back home.”

“That would be a waste of a trip. It shouldn't take us more than an hour to find your classes.”

“I don't feel comfortable here...” Clear whispered to himself, peering around the empty lobby.

The masked man stayed close to Mink's side as they went through the large lobby and towards the book store. The complete silence through the campus terrified him, as if there was a predator ready to pounce at him. He pulled at his sleeves nervously. Mink looked back at him every so often. He had never seen the other man so unsettled. Hell, the first time they met he already treated Mink like an old friend. He was starting to reconsider taking him through the campus when it was this empty.

“Clear.”

“Yes, Mink-san?”

“Just get your books. I forgot to buy milk earlier.”

Clear tilted his head in a questioning way. He could have sworn he saw a full gallon of milk in the fridge before they left. However, he wasn't going to question it. He just wanted out of this place as soon as possible. Mink stood near the front of the bookstore as Clear recieved his books. He made sure to watch Clear as he navigated around the cluttered area, so he wouldn't decide to buy something he didn't need.

“Excuse me, sir.”

Mink looked down towards the petite cashier sitting at her desk.

“I know there isn't a sign around for not loitering, but you can't stand here.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her. This was quite annoying.

“I'm waiting for my room mate to get his books.”

“Well you still can't stand there. Please either stand beside your room mate or leave the bookstore.”

Mink clicked his tongue, stepping past the cocky woman and over to Clear, who managed to fit all of his books in his arms.

“Mink-san! I was just heading over to you.”

The larger man shrugged, letting his irritation go.

“Come. I'd like to get milk before the shops close.”

“Okay!”

Clear stepped in a cheerful manner as they left the building.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mink had lost Clear. The shopping area was unexpectingly busy and he just lost him. He wasn't too concerned, he was sure Clear was independent enough to head home if they didn't meet up. Unfortunately, the masked man's attention span was that of a goldfish. Mink's height made somewhat of an advantage for spotting people, which would be great if Clear ever stood still for more than three seconds. Mink let out an irritating breath as he turned to head back home. This effort to find his room mate would be fruitless.

“Mastahhhh!!”

The large man turned his head, glowering at the direction of the voice. As he stepped closer, he could see that it was most definately Clear harrassing some kid.  
Some kid with blue hair.

“Clear.”

The masked man stopped and turned towards Mink, waving.

“Ah~! Mink-san! I found you!”

Mink frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course Clear would say that. He peered at the blue haired man, who definitely looked weirded out by the masked man.

“Clear. What were you doing?”

“I heard master's voice! So I found master!”

Clear pointed to the shorter man, who shook his head.

“Whoa! No way, I've never even met him, I swear.”

“Of course we've never met, master! I just knew who you were by your voice!”

Mink watched the two bicker, feeling a headache forming in his right temple.

“Oi.”

The two stopped as Mink's deep voice reached their ears.

“Clear. Go home.”

“But Mink-san-!”

Clear stopped as he saw the man's blue eyes narrow into a glare, scurrying away towards the dorm houses. Mink turned towards the blue-haired man. A chill ran down the younger man's spine as he stared up into cold blue eyes.

“Uh, yes?”

“I'll have him apologize to you properly.”

“Oh, ah, no need. It really wasn't much of a problem.”

Mink nodded once before turning around taking a few steps in the direction of the dorm homes. He heard soft footsteps follow behind him as he passed by different shops.

“It seems we're heading the same way. Hope you don't mind if I tag along.”

Blue eyes peered at the shorter man. Mink shrugged his shoulders. He didn't particularly enjoy the company of strangers, but he assumed the younger man was heading home as well.

“I'm Aoba, by the way. Your name was Mink, right?”

“Yes. “

There was an uneasy silence between the two as they walked. Aoba shifted and pretended to check through his bags a few times before clearing his throat.

“So...what are you planning on majoring in? I'm going for a Communications degree.”

“Cultural Anthropology.”

“Er, I don't know what that is...”

Mink turned his head to look down at the man, who had his gaze turned downwards.

“Study of cultures through variations of humans.”

“Oh, so, like, using differences to determine specific cultures?”

“Exactly.”

Aoba smiled and scratched at the back of his neck.

“I wish I were that smart. I chose Communications 'cause I've been told I can be pretty persuasive. I guess I'm good at talking, I mean, Hell, my job consists of answering a phone and delivering parts.”

Mink chuckled as he shook his head slightly. He assumed Aoba was only at the university to attain a degree in something before going back to his normal life. It wasn't an uncommon situation, but it didn't hurt to inform the kid on his choices.

“There are many different types of Communication you could major in.”

“Really?”

“Try to focus on a specific. You may like it.”

“Well, thanks Mink. You're kind of a life saver.”

Mink only shrugged before heading up the steps to Glisten. Aoba waved to the older man before heading across the street to his own dorm home. He was greeted with the savory scent of roast as he opened the door. A small smile graced his lips as he walked into the kitchen where Clear was busy cooking.

“Ah~! Welcome back Mink-san!”

Mink bowed his head slightly before sitting and sipping a fresh cup of tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally chapter four! I'm so sorry I've neglected this! College and my new job are wearing me out! Have some Clear and Mink, my favorite babies! I also just had to put the Jellyfish Song in, I mean c'mon.


	5. Sparkle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trip and Virus aren't too keen on spending four years at a university for Toue, but when they meet up with a familiar blue-haired friend, they assume it's not all that bad.

“Do you have your books?”

“Yes.”

“And your student ID?”

“Yeah.”

“Food money? I don't want to have to pay for your lunch.”

“Yup.”

“Are you going to actually look presentable for your first day or go in...that?”

“Virus, my class doesn't start until ten. I'm going to change.”

“Trip it's already eight and you haven't bothered to make sure you're prepared.”

“A'ight. Just go finish whatever you're up to.”

Virus narrowed his eyes at the taller man. It was as if he had a younger brother, which technically wasn't incorrect. Although the two men looked exactly alike, they were in no way related. In fact, they were six years apart. They had been together most of their lives, so something similar to brothers could be a stretch.

“Trip, make sure you throw your clothes into the hamper, I'm going to do laundry today.”

“Yeah, yeah. Got it. Hey, is there anymore cake in the fridge?”

The older man pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up a bit.

“No, there's no cake. You should eat a little healthier. You'll get fat.”

“Better than alcohol poisoning.”

Virus huffed and straightened out his tie, pulling his blazer over his nice dress shirt.

“I don't drink as much as you eat sugar.”

“Then don't bother. I don't care how I look.”

Virus thought against continuing. The morning always had him a little more on edge than usual. He normally wouldn't care as much about the younger man. They just tolerated each other, most of the time.

“Virus, get out of the bathroom already.”

“I'm almost finished. Just have to find my clips.”

“C'mon, I need to piss and this is the only bathroom.”

“You should've listened to me and gotten up earlier.”

Trip scoffed and pushed his way into the small bathroom, ignoring Virus's protests and unzipping his jeans. He let out a slow breath as he relieved himself, much to the older man's displeasure.

“I'd rather not see your dick this early in the morning.”

“No one said you had to look. This living arrangement isn't to my liking either.”

“Toue is letting us stay here for free as long as we attend classes like we're normal students. That means downgrading into a shitty little place like this.”

“All for the sake of his experiments right?”

“Pretty much.”

Trip pulled his jeans back up and slipped a belt around his hips. He looked over at Virus's outfit and raised an eyebrow.

“You look like you're an instructor.”

“I look nice.”

“You look like a prep school dropout who had to settle for less.”

“Oh? Am I taking fashion advice from someone who looks like the main protagonist in a 90's American TV show?”

The two glared at each other for a few seconds before averting their gaze and continuing to prepare for their classes. Virus and Trip had always lived in much larger areas with plenty of breathing room and alone time, but this home was much smaller than the previous ones. They were like caged animals.

“Toue is letting Sei attend too, right?” Trip called from the kitchen, snacking on some sweet banana bread.

“Yes, that's another part of our duties. We have to make sure he's safe to attend.”

“We haven't seen him in quite some time. I wonder if he'll remember us.”

“It's only been a few years. He most likely will question why you're a blond now.”

“Ah, I forgot I still had my natural hair color back then.”

“I'll have to touch up your roots soon, too. They're starting to show.”

“I'll let them grow out a little more. It'll waste less dye.”

Virus nodded to himself in the bathroom mirror, sticking bobby pins into his hair and fluffing it up with mousse and hairspray. The only thing the two actually had in common was styling their hair. Other than that it was like comparing the sun and the moon. Two completely different elements that still served some importance to earth, earth being Toue.

“I don't see why you're all worked up. It's just orientation, no one's gonna care if you bring all your books.”

“Impressions Trip.”

“Does it really matter? I mean, shouldn't we fit in with the students?”

“They're probably all your age. You handle students and I'll deal with the professors. Does that sound alright?”

“...Deal.”

Trip thought about it a little longer as he snacked on the last piece of banana bread. He wasn't really good with people around his age group, or any age group for that matter. Most of the time he spent around people was when he was with Virus. Virus would always take care of talking while he would just listen and chime in on things he found interesting. Being away from Virus in public bothered him slightly.

“Oi, how many classes do we have together?”

“Two on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays you'll be on your own.”

“What about Fridays?”

“Free day and then the weekend. You seem nervous Trip.”

“You know how I am with people, especially dumb asses that play Rib and Rhyme.”

“Just plaster on that fake smile and nod. With your looks you may get approached by women quite often.”

Trip sneered and wiped his face with his sleeve. Strangers were one thing, but female strangers were something he couldn't stand. He didn't have a preference towards their attitudes and their backstabbing ways. He'd much rather stay by Virus who knew how to deal with all types of people.

“As long as you don't lash out and hurt someone you'll be okay. Just text me if you need any help.”

Trip ran a hand through his hair as he stepped back over to the bathroom. He stood silently outside the door as he waited for Virus to finish getting ready for the day. The two reamained silent, Virus only speaking up to ask Trip to spray his hair in the back, but it was comfortable. Trip never really was the talkative type, even when he was younger. When he was first brought to Toue's research facility, he spoke using his fists and never his tongue. He was eight when he met Virus, who was fourteen, and something just, clicked. He never raised a hand to the older boy and followed him around. He never really understood why he did it. In fact, Virus was really the only one he talked to, save a few people the two encountered on a job, and he was fine with that. It was nice.

“Trip, you're blocking the doorway.”

The taller man blinked and stepped to the side, allowing Virus to leave the bathroom that smelled like an expensive cologne. He peeked into the mirror to make sure his own hair was styled to his liking and followed behind the older man, snatching up his bookbag and slinging it over his shoulder. He almost bumped into Virus when the older man stopped in front of him, turning around.

“Hold on, let me take a good look at you.” Virus put a hand to his chin as he peered over the taller man, making sure his outfit met the very least of his standards. He was well aware that Trip would walk out in his boxers and a ripped up wife beater if he was allowed to. It wasn't an abnormal ritual between the two. Trip had worn clothes backwards and even clothes that were too small without realizing it. Virus wondered what Toue had done to the younger boy to make him so absent minded and in a childlike state for so long of his life. It was surely a hassle, yes, but it was something both of them were used to.

“We'll have to go out and buy you some more jeans. Those look a little tight on you. Other than that you're good to go.”

“Alright.”

“Trip, today I'll accompany you to your classes, just so I can speak with your instructors. You may also come to mine if you wish.”

Virus turned before receiving any agreement from Trip, he didn't need it. He knew the younger man would follow him anyway. The two stepped out and made their way towards the campus. They were fortunate enough to recieve a dorm house closer to the school building than most of the other students that were enrolled. Although, being closer to the campus meant a lot more traffic and noise outside on a daily basis, especially with classes starting up. Virus walked ahead, head held high as he aimed for the front doors, Trip walking right beside him. Virus kept a sneer to himself as he noticed the different choices in clothing that students chose to wear. A first impression is usually based on appearance and, by what he saw, he had no intention of speaking with any of these unruly and unfashionable bastards.

“Virus, think our work is cut out for us?”

“Let's not discuss that now. I'm trying to keep a scowl from forming.”

Trip could see Virus furrowing his brow slightly. He was definitely irritated by the many individuals around the campus. He didn't blame him, though, they were loud and showy. It would probably wear off in a few days when everyone realized no one cared. The taller man's ice blue eyes scanned the crowd, looking for anything that may be interesting before setting his eyes on familiar blue hair.

“Hm?”

Virus looked up at Trip, who had stopped and turned.

“What is it Trip?”

“Aoba.”

The corner of Virus's lips turned up into a sly grin.

“Why don't we goa and say hello? What else would fans do?”

Trip only nodded once, moving through the crowd with Virus at his side. Once they were close enough, the taller man raised a hand.

“Yoo-hoo, Aoba.”

The blue haired man turned and blinked a few times before smiling in recognition.

“Virus, Trip, I didn't think you two would be here. Wouldn't your work get in the way?”

Virus chuckled lightly. He loved how naive Aoba was.

“Our jobs are still current, but just run on the campus for the time being. What about you Aoba? Didn't you have a job before coming here?”

“Haga-san is letting me work during our breaks.”

“Ah, what a nice employer.”

As Virus and Aoba spoke, Trip noticed someone he hadn't seen before eyeing the both of them. He was almost the same height as Trip and definitely had visible muscle mass under his black t-shirt. When his ice blue eyes met harsh gold ones, he knew exactly who it was.

“Aoba, is that your cousin?”

The harsh golden eyes narrowed at the taller male, a slight sneer on his face. He could tell that he felt uneasy around Virus and himself. Smart man.

“Yeah, I can't believe you guys remember me telling you about him. This is Ren. Ren, this is Virus and Trip. I got to know them after you left to explore. They've been really good to me.”

Ren flicked his eyes between the two smiling men, nodding slightly. There was something off about them. Severely off.

“Nice to meet you two.” He muttered, stepping closer to Aoba.

Trip chuckled under his breath as he saw this. He looked to Virus to see if he noticed it as well, and from the look of the older man's smile, he did.

“Well, Aoba-san, Trip and I do have to be going. I hope to see you around more often.”

“Ah, likewise. We can catch up sometime.”

“Bye-bye Aoba.”

Trip waved and followed Virus back through the crowd, chuckling to himself.

“Well. So that was Ren, huh? Definitely has good senses. He could tell we were no good just by looking at us.”

The two men shared a soft laugh as they walked through the halls of the univeristy. What seemed like another boring job from Toue just turned into a very fun and exciting year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I tried so hard with staying in character. We seriously need a whole separate game based on Trip and Virus. So, sorry for the shorter chapter this time! If you guys want anything like an age list just tell me and I'll jot it down for you. Next chapter we will be back with Aoba!

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters should be updated every week or so depending on college and work. I'll answer anything if it's too confusing.


End file.
